My thoughts on the Phillies season.

33 games in 31 days: Game #4: Vance Worley gets win no. 10 as the Phils sweep the Reds, 6-4.

Vance Worley records his tenth win of his rookie season as the Phils sweep the Reds, 6-4.

The Phils took the lead in the second as, with two men on, and with one man out, Brian Schneider hits an RBI single, scoring Hunter Pence, who had earlier doubled, giving the Phils a 1-0 lead, while sending Raul Ibanez, who had just walked, up to second base. Two batters later, after Wilson Valdez had loaded up the bases with an infield single to the shortstop, moving both runners up a base, the Phils took a 2-0 lead on an RBI single by Vance Worley, who knocked in Ibanez, before Schneider is thrown out at home for the inning’s second out, 8-2, while Valdez would stop at second base. The Phils then added to their lead as Shane Victorino hits an RBI single, knocking in Valdez, giving the Phils a 3-0 lead, while sending Worley up to second base. The Reds got a run back in the third as, with a runner on third, and with one man out, Joey Votto hits a sacrifice fly, scoring Brandon Phillips, wh0 had earlier doubled, then went to third on Edgar Renteria’s ground out, 6-3, making it a 3-1 Phils’ lead. The Phils then took a 4-1 lead in the sixth as, with one man out, Ryan Howard hits a solo home run, his thirtieth home run of the season. The Phils then made it a 6-1 lead as, with a man on third, and with two men out, Michael Martinez hits a two-run home run, his third home run of the year, scoring Valdez, who had earlier singled, went to second base on Worley’s sacrifice bunt, 2-4, then moved up to third base on Victorino’s ground out, 4-3. The Reds cut the Phils’ lead down to 6-4 as, with runners on the corners, and with nobody out, pinch hitter Chris Heisey hits a three-run home run, his thirteenth home run of the season, knocking in Drew Stubbs, who had earlier doubled, then went to third on Ryan Hanigan’s single, and Hanigan, who had just singled. But that would end up being the final score as Ryan Madson recorded his twenty-sixth save of the year by pitching a 1-2-3 ninth.

Vance Worley (10-1, 2.85) gets the win as he pitch six innings, plus three batters, giving up four runs on eight hits and a walk, while striking out seven. Brad Lidge received his four hold of the year as he pitched a third of an inning, walking a batter, while striking out one. Antonio Bastardo recorded his fifteenth hold of the season as he pitched a scoreless inning and two-thirds, striking out three. Ryan Madson recorded his twenty-sixth save of the year as he pitched a 1-2-3 inning, striking out a batter. Mike Leake (11-9, 4.12) took the lost, as he went six innings, giving up four runs on seven hits and a walk, while striking out three. Jared Burton pitched two-thirds of an inning, giving up two runs on three hits. Jeremy Horst, Bill Bray and Francisco Condero combined for two and a third scoreless innings, giving up two hits (Horst (1), Condero (1)) between them.

The Phils (87-46, 1st) will begin a three-games weekend series with the Marlins (60-76, 5th), starting with a night game later today. The game will be played at Sun Life Stadium and will start at 7:10 pm EDT. The Phils will send to the mound Roy Oswalt (6-8, 3.77), who is coming off a lost against the Marlins on August 26, as he went five and two-thirds innings, giving up five runs on twelve hits and a walk, while striking out only two, in the Phils’ 6-5 lost. He will be out to give the Phils a five game winning streak, as well as improve his record. The Marlins will counter with Brad Hand (1-4, 4.08), who made his last start in a lost on August 8 against the Braves, as he went five innings, giving up seven runs on nine hits and three walks, while striking out three, in the Marlins’ 8-5 lost. He will be trying to halt the Phils’ present winning streak. The Phils will be out to increase their present winning streak to five games.

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